Doll house furnishing accessories and method of producing same

ABSTRACT

MINIATURE FURNISHING ACCESSORIES ARE PRODUCED BY ASSEMBLING A PLURALITY OF BEAD-LIKE ELEMENTS ON A STRAIGHT HEADED PIN TO PROVIDE THE DESIRED CONFIGURATION OF A BOTTLE, LAMP, DISH AND THE LIKE. GLUE IS APPLIED BETWEEN THE ELEMENTS AND THE PIN WHEREUPON AN END OF A PIN IS FORCED INTO A MOUNTING BOARD TO CLAMP THE ELEMENTS TOGETHER UNTIL THE GLUE IS DRIED. THEREAFTER, THE EXCESS LENGTH OF THE PIN IS REMOVED.

J.E. B'ERMAN Sept. 21, 1971 DOLL HOUSE FURNISHING ACCESSORIES AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Filed May 28, 1969 war fizz/65-17156 PflZdfZ 7M wax; #W

Jrzue luv Q United States Patent Otfice 3,695,696 Patented Sept. 21, 1971 3,606,696 DOLL HOUSE FURNISHING ACCESSORIES AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Jewel E. Berman, 4628 Wolf Road, Western Springs, Ill. 60558 Filed May 28, 1969, Ser. No. 828,650

Int. Cl. A6311 3/52 s US. CI. 46-14 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Miniature furnishing accessories are produced by assembling a plurality of bead-like elements on a straight headed pin to provide the desired configuration of a bot tle, lamp, dish and the like. Glue is applied between the elements and the pin whereupon an end of a pin is forced into a mounting board to clamp the elements together until the glue is dried. Thereafter, the excess length of the pin is removed.

The present invention relates to miniature furnishing accessories for doll houses and the like, more specifically, to novel miniature accessories such as simulated bottles, dishes, lamps, and a method for making the same.

While many items of miniature furniture for doll houses and the like have heretofore been proposed, there has long been a lack of miniature accessories such as bottles, dishes, lamps and the like and particularly miniature accessories which are both attractive and relatively economical to produce. It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide a variety of novel miniature accessories and a novel method enabling the same to be produced rapidly and economically.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide novel miniature accessories to be assembled from a simple and economical and, in many instances, presently available elements such as beads and the like and to provide a novel method whereby relatively unskilled workers can produce the accessories rapidly and economically.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide novel miniature accessories and a method for producing the same wherein a plurality of elements combined together to make up the accessory are assembled on a headed pin, glue or adhesive is applied to the elements and the pin, a free end of the pin is then forced into a suitable board-like member for clamping the elements between the board and the pin head until the adhesive or glue has set or dried, whereupon any excess projecting end portion of the pin is severed from the remainder of the unit.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a miniature accessory incorporating features of the present invention held between the fingers of a human hand in order to provide a general indication of the size of the accessory contemplated herein;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded view showing elements of the accessory of FIGS. 1 and 2 in a partially assembled condition;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view showing a portion of a glue applying step utilized in a method of the present invention for assembling the accessory;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view showing another step and the method of the present invention in which elements of the accessory are clamped together by forcing a retaining pin extending therethrough into a board or the like;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view showing a further step in the novel method of the present invention during which an excess end portion of the pin is severed from the remainder of the unit;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a modified form of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the accessory shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the base or dish portion of the accessory shown in FIGS. 7 and 8; and

FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view showing another modified form of the present invention.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, an accessory 20 and a method of producing the same incorporating features of the present invention are shown in FIGS. 1 through 6. It is to be understood that accessories contemplated by the present invention can be made in a variety of forms to simulate many different types of household articles. 'In this particular embodiment, the accessory 20 is constructed for simulating a decorative bottle.

In the embodiment shown, the accessory unit 20 comprises a base or foot element 22 having a central portion 24 with an aperture 26 therethrough and a peripheral margin 28 spaced axially from the central portion 24. The peripheral margin 28 is adapted to rest on a support surface and since it is spaced axially from the central portion, the base member 22 is hollow and defines a space above the peripheral edge 28 for the purpose described below.

A main body element 30 also having an aperture 32 therethrough rests on top of the base element 22. The bottle-like accessory is provided with an elongated neck which may be in the form of a single element 34 as shown or may be made up of a plurality of elements. In any event, the neck element 34 has an aperture 36 therethrough. Simulated cap means is located on top of the neck element 34, which cap means includes an annular element 38 carrying a plurality of decorative stones 40 and having an aperture 42 therethrough and a cap element 44 resting on the element 38 and having an aperture 46 therethrough.

A straight pin 48 has a shaft 50 extending through the central apertures in the previously described elements for maintaining the elements in alignment. The pin has an enlarged head 52 overlying the cap element 44 and an opposite terminal end 54 located within the space defined by the hollow base elernent 22 and above the edge 28 of the base. In order to retain the elements in assembled relationship with the pin, a body 56 of glue or adhesive material is applied to a portion 58 of the pin between the lower terminal end 54 and the central portion 24 of the base element. In addition, the various elements of the accessory unit may be secured with respect to each other by applying glue between abutting edges or surfaces thereof. More specifically, in FIG. 2 there is shown a body or quantity 60 of glue between the base and body elements 22 and 30, another body or quantity of glue 62 between the body and neck elements 32 and 34, an additional body or quantity of glue 64 between the elements 34 and 38 as still another body or quantity of glue 66 between the cap elements 38 and 44.

In accordance with the method of the present invention, the accessory is assembled or produced by the sequence of steps shown in FIGS. 3 through 6. More specifically, the elements 44, 38, 34, and 22 are assembled in sequence on the shaft of the pin 48 as shown in FIG. 3. After each element is assembled on the pin, a quantity of glue or adhesive is applied thereto at the desired location from the dispensing spout 68 of a tube of glue or any other desired applicator. When the assembly of the elements has been completed as shown in FIG. 4, the previously mentioned body or quantity 56 of glue or adhesive is applied to the pin within the hollow element 22. It should further be noted in FIG. 4 that the shank 50 of the pin initially has a length substantially in excess of the combined axial length of the other elements of the accessory 20 so that an excess portion of the pin projects axially beyond the peripheral edge 28 of the base element 22.

After the step of FIG. 4 has been completed, the excess end portion 70 of the pin is forced into a support member 72. This member may be formed from a block of wood or synthetic material which is sufliciently soft to enable the pin to be inserted, but which at the same time, has sufiicient density frictionally to hold the pin. Thus, the elements 22, 30, 34, 38 and 44 are clamped between the head 52 of the pin and the surface of the support member 72 in a quick and effective manner. The method contemplates that the elements will remain in this clamped condition for a sufficient period of time to permit the bodies or quantities of glue or adhesive material applied during the portions of the method shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to dry or otherwise cure in a manner which will securely retain the elements and the pin in assembled relationship.

After the glue or adhesive has dried or cured, the unit is removed from the body or supporting board 72 and the excess end portion 70 of the pin is cut or snipped from the remainder of the unit with a pair of snippers 74 or any other desired tool. As previously indicated, the point at which the pin is cut is located well within the hollow base member 22 so that the lower terminal end 54- of the remaining pin shank is located above the peripheral edge 28 of the base portion where it will not interfere with the stability or handling of the accessory unit.

In FIGS. 7 through 9 there is shown a modified form of the present invention which may be manufactured in accordance with the above described method and in which elements corresponding to those of the accessory 20 are indicated by the application of identical reference numerals with the suffix a added. In this embodiment, the accessory 20a is in the form of a simulated candy dish which may be used with and without a cover unit 76. The unit 20a incorporates a dish-shaped main body element 30a assembled with respect to a base member 22a and with a pin 48a in the manner described above.

The cover unit 76 is assembled in the same manner as the dish unit 20a and comprises a hollow base or cover element 78 complementary in size and shape to the dish element 30a and decorative neck and cap elements 80 and 82 assembled with a pin 84. Bodies 86, 88 and 90 of glue are provided between the pin and the elements 78, 80 and 82 as shown for securing the elements with respect to each other. It will be understood that the pin 84 initially has an end portion of excess length corresponding to the end portion 70 described above and that the elements of the cover unit 76 are assembled with respect to each other in accordance with the method of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows another accessory unit 2% incorporating a modified form of the present invention which unit is similar to the structure described above as indicated by the application of identical reference numerals with the sufiix I) added to corresponding elements. The accessory unit of this embodiment is in the form of a simulated lamp. In this embodiment, the elements 22b, 30b, 34b, 44b and the pin 50b are assembled with each other and secured by the application of glue or adhesive in the manner previously described. However, this embodiment illustrates the application of an additional element 92 to the unit which is assembled over the cap element 44b and the head of the pin and secured with respect to the cap element by a body or quantity 94 of glue. In this embodiment, the element 92 simulates a chimney of a kerosene lamp.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it is obvious that many details may be changed.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A method of producing a miniature accessory of the type described comprising successively assembling a plurality of apertured elements on the shank of a pin having an enlargement at one end thereof and a shank length substantially greater than the combined axial length of said elements so that an excess end portion of the pin shank extends outwardly fro-m said elements, applying a fluid body of adhesive material between said pin shank and an endmost element oppositely from said enlargement, then forcing said excess shank end portion into a support member and thereby clamping said elements between said enlargement and said support member, curing said body of adhesive material while said elements are so clamped, then removing the assembled elements and pin from said support member, and subsequently severing said excess shank end portion from the remainder of the pin.

2. A method, as defined in claim 1, which includes applying a fluid body of adhesive material between certain of said elements prior to clamping of the elements between said enlargement and said support member.

3. A method, as defined in claim 1, which includes adhesively securing another element to said first mentioned elements and over said enlargement after the first mentioned elements have been clamped between said enlargement and the support member.

4. A method, as defined in claim 1, wherein said endmost element is hollow, the severing of said excess shank portion being accomplishhed at a point within said hollow endmost element.

5. A miniature accessory of the type described comprising a pin having an elongated shank and an enlarged head at one end of said shank, a plurality of apertured elements assembled in abutting relationship on said pin shank, a first endmost element being in engagement with and retained by said enlarged head, an opposite endmost element being adjacent a terminal end of the pin shank opposite from said enlarged head, and a body of adhesive material between said opposite endmost element and said pin shank and combining with said enlarged head in retaining said elements on said pin shank.

6. A miniature accessory, as defined in claim 5, wherein said opposite endmost element comprises an apertured central portion through which said pin shank extends and a peripheral margin axially offset from said central portion and defining a hollow space, said body of adhesive material being disposed in said hollo'w space, and said terminal end of the pin shank being located within said hollow space.

7. A miniature accessory, as defined in claim 6, which includes additional bodies of adhesive material between adjacent elements and securing said adjacent elements with respect to each other.

8. A miniature accessory, as defined in claim 6, which includes an additional element such as a simulated lamp chimney and the like adhesively secured to said first mentioned elements over said head of the pin.

9. A miniature accessory, as defined in claim 5, wherein said pin shank includes an end portion projecting slightly beyond said opposite endmost element and ter- 6 minating in a sheared end slightly outwardly of said FOREIGN PATENTS opposite endmost element, said body of adhesive material 44 838 5/ 1966 Germany 4617 being between said opposite endmost element and said end portion of the pin sha k- RUSSELL R. KINSEY, Primary Examiner References Cited 5 R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS US, Cl, X R,

3,182,420 5/1965 Bender 46-15X 

